


Turn of the Tide

by justbygrace



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-29
Updated: 2017-01-29
Packaged: 2018-09-20 18:06:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9504284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justbygrace/pseuds/justbygrace
Summary: An adventure set between 'New Earth' & 'Tooth & Claw'





	

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently a prompt fic for Larxy with the first sentence provided by Disc -- originally published in May of 2014.

"Seriously, what on earth do you find so interesting about modern art?" Rose peered over the shoulder of the Doctor, trying to decipher what the combination of cloth, wood, and what looked like the remains of someone's breakfast was supposed to represent.

"How can you not be interested? Look at this detail! Look at the texture! It's a perfect metaphor for the vastness of space, the sheer insignificance of you lot," the Doctor raved, waving his arms for emphasis.

Rose resisted the urge to roll her eyes, something she found herself doing frequently with this new Doctor. He was so different from her old one - more prone to rambling, more excited about little things, but she could still sense the same darkness, the same burden of the universe resting on his shoulders. It had not been very long since his regeneration and they'd been on only a few short trips since Cassandra - testing out the TARDIS the Doctor said, but Rose thought he was acting almost gun shy, as the saying went.

At present, they were on a planet that looked and sounded very much like Earth. In fact, Rose had asked the Doctor several times if they weren't, in fact, still on her home planet to which he had turned up his nose and went on a long rambling rant about his driving skills which she had tuned out. They hadn't run into any natives yet and Rose was half convinced they were in a ghost town, but wherever they were, it was a place with a lot of really interesting museums of art and science and history and so she didn't much mind.

"Listen, I've got to go. I assume this place has toilets?" Rose cast an appraising glance around the marble hall, catching sight of a sign that if one squinted might be interpreted as a symbol for a ladies room.

"Will you be alright? Do you need me to come with you?" The Doctor shot her a worried glance and Rose raised her eyebrows.

"You want to come with me? To the loo?" She knew her voice had gone unnaturally high-pitched but she couldn't help her astonishment at his suggestion. For a moment she imagined the other Doctor suggesting such a thing and she had to repress an equal snort of laughter and a pang of sorrow.

"If you're quite sure. I could come along, not all the way inside. Just to stand guard and all. Make sure you were safe." He continued to give her a look like she might disappear at any moment.

"I think I'll be fine peeing without you." Shaking her head, Rose turned and walked away. As she strode through the ornate hallways of the museum, she couldn't help comparing his offer to what the other Doctor, her first Doctor, "the real Doctor" a tiny voice whispered rebelliously - would make of that conversation.

Rose knew that it was Cassandra that had him so jumpy and overly protective, but she was eager for things to go back to normal. Normal. She scoffed slightly at the idea. What was normal about any of this? She traveled in a blue box with a nine hundred and something year old alien who could change his face. Not exactly the life she had always envisioned for herself. Though, then again, the life she had envisioned for herself had always seemed a bit drab and dreary, nothing like the bright colors of space and time.

She knew the tall, skinny man with the sweeping coat was still the Doctor: had repeated it to herself as a mantra a hundred times an hour, had fallen asleep to the words on a loop in her mind, lived it, breathed it, knew it, but not quite in the same way that she knew that the sun would come up tomorrow. Despite this knowledge, she had smuggled his old leather jacket to her room to muffle her tears as she fell asleep, desperately hoping the Doctor wouldn't discover that fact.

So caught up was she in her thoughts that when she turned the corner she almost ran straight into a misty form that was vaguely human in shape.

"Excuse me, we are looking for the Doctor in leather." The voice was oddly disembodied and fit the gaseous form perfectly.

Rose was vividly reminded of a damp basement in Cardiff and could not manage a response over the sudden lump in her throat.

"You are the Doctor?" the voice questioned.

"What?" Rose spluttered. "I'm not, I'm just a companion."

"You are the Doctor. You are wearing leather. You were seen exiting the blue box. Therefore, you are the Doctor." There was nothing in its tone to indicate that it would be accepting of argument.

Rose glanced down at the blue leather jacket she had found in the wardrobe that morning. It had been hanging in place of her usual jacket and it had reminded her so much of her first Doctor that she had immediately slipped it on to discover it fit her perfectly. She had detected a slight tightening of the features of the new Doctor when he had spotted it, but then he had shrugged and moved on - his modus operandi, she was discovering.

"You will come with us." The shape turned and moved back along the corridor, obviously expecting Rose to follow without question.

"Are you related to the Gelth?" Rose called after the form, not at all interested in going wherever it was heading.

The shape stopped and, with a strange twist, managed to appear as though it was looking back over its shoulder. "Distant cousins, is all. They broke from the family tree years ago, but we have heard what you did to them."

"What I..." Rose broke off when the form turned around and glided away.

Shaking her head, she followed behind at a safe distance. There didn't appear to be any other members of this strange race about, but she couldn't be too careful. As soon as there was enough distance between them, Rose slipped down a side corridor, trying to remember the general layout of the museum. She skirted the walls, keeping up a brisk pace and a sharp eye out for any more forms. She was nearly back to the room where she had left the Doctor when she caught sight of a group of the forms coming towards him from the opposite direction.

She had learned from long experience with the Doctor that their chances of escape from jail was always greater if one of them was not imprisoned and so she ducked into a nearby alcove, peeking around the corner to watch. The Doctor was still absorbed in the same painting and did not notice the approaching forms until they had him cornered.

The distance between them was too great to hear the exchange, but the Doctor was obviously talking a lot and gesturing wildly. The forms seemed impassive to his demands and Rose took a moment to consider how to put their methods to use the next time the Doctor went on one of his rants. After several moments of dialogue, the forms surrounded the Doctor, lifting him up and literally floating him away. He did not seem at all pleased by this turn of events, his voice suddenly carrying as he yelled about wrongful imprisonment.

Rose remained where she was for a long moment after the group disappeared, unsure what the plan of attack should be. She sorely missed having Jack around to bounce ideas off of. It was much easier to think of ways to free someone from jail when there were two people doing the thinking.

Before she could get her thoughts together, the same disembodied voice suddenly started speaking over what appeared to be a loudspeaker and if she had thought the voice was creepy before, it was doubly so broadcasted at full volume. "Doctor, we have your companion. If you do not turn yourself in, we will make use of his life until such a time as you exchange your life for his."

The words chilled Rose to the bones as their meaning sank in. They may claim to be only distant relations to the Gelth, but they were just as determined to use someone's life force to survive. Now she knew why they wanted the Doctor, they desired a Time Lord - someone with almost infinite years to suck away. She wondered how long before they realized they already had exactly what they wanted and if she had time to switch places before it was too late.

Swiftly she started down the corridor, running almost blindly in her haste. She wasn't sure where their headquarters were, but she figured they would eventually notice her. After several moments, it became clear that they weren't keeping a very good lookout and she became desperate. Picking up a nearby vase - one she was sure was a priceless artifact - she hurled it towards a statue of a man with no head. Almost instantly she was surrounded by the misty forms, their chilly fingers clutching her wrists and bearing her away.

The room they took her to was small with no furniture and a lot of signs and sigils painted on the wall. There was no sign of the Doctor and she forced herself to keep her face impassive, wracking her brain to figure out what he would do in this situation. Most of the forms exited the room - some of them actually through the walls, and she was left with only one.

"So Doctor, it appears you value the life of your companion," the form spoke in a nasally voice.

"I do and I am willing to negotiate the release of him," Rose agreed, "Though I would like to know whom I am addressing."

"I am Ydolem, the leader of the Golthe," the form sounded bored and Rose was beginning to think that was their usual state of being.

"Alright, Ydolem. Nice to meet you. I'm R...the Doctor and I need you to release my companion." Rose crossed her arms and glared.

If she had thought their voices sounded creepy, it was nothing compared to the sound of laughter that issued from Ydolem's throat. When he had regained control, he spoke, "Unfortunately we cannot do that."

"What?" Rose exclaimed. "But you said if I turned myself in that you would release him!"

"That was only to get you here. A ploy that always works." The bored tone was back and she was certain if he had more visible eyes, he would have rolled them. "We need the blood of your human companion."

"My...human companion," Rose asked slowly.

"Yes. A litre of the blood of our ancestors and we will be restored to our normal shape." Ydolem leaned forwards slightly, growing animated for the first time.

"You used to be...human? From Earth?" Rose questioned, making sure she had all the facts right. A litre of blood was a lot, but it wouldn't kill her - she was pretty sure, anyway.

"Yes," Ydolem said irritably.

"Well, I am a Time Lord and we pre-date humans. They practically evolved from us so you could take my blood and it would make you genetically stronger than it would if you were to take it from a mere human, stupid apes they are." Aware she was rambling, Rose stopped speaking abruptly and gave Ydolem what she hoped was a convincing look.

Ydolem tilted his head to one side and regarded Rose critically. "That is acceptable."

"However!" Rose held up a hand. "You must let my companion return to my blue box first. Otherwise, no deal." She knew that if he refused, there was really no way to enforce her demand, but there was always the chance. She held her breath waiting for his reply.

"Very well." Ydolem spoke into a box on the wall and Rose heard his voice projected seemingly endlessly on the loudspeaker, "Release the Doctor's human companion. We have found our blood."

Rose let out her breath only to catch it again when she realized how the Doctor was going to translate that particularly message. Oh, this was not going to end well. Before she could do anything else, the rest of the Golthe materialized around her and bore her out of the door and into another room bare except for a metal table. As they strapped her down, Rose could feel the unexpected warmth of the metal beneath her cheek and knew the Doctor had vacated this place not long prior. No sooner had that thought crossed her mind than she caught sight of an ornate stone knife and she gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, desperately willing the Doctor to get there soon. She felt the tip of the knife slice open the skin of her wrist and the edges of the world went hazy and then black.

When she came to, she was lying on her back on a comfortable surface with a splitting headache. Forcing her eyes open, she took in the rounded bronze walls and smiled when she realized she was back on the TARDIS. She could feel the comforting hum of the beloved ship welcoming her home and she closed her eyes again, content to know she was safe. Almost instantly her eyes popped back open and she turned her head in an attempt to locate the Doctor.

It took her a moment to focus her eyes in order to see him, the sudden movement of her head caused the world to go blurry. She spotted him leaning against the counter, arms folded tightly across his chest and gaze focused on his shoes. She almost smiled at the sight, it was his closed off anger that reminded her of why she had done what she did; he was still the Doctor despite his outward appearance.

"Doctor." Her voice cracked alarmingly, but it brought his full attention on her.

He rushed over immediately, brandishing his sonic like a shield, waving it around her face until she raised a weary arm and knocked it out of the way. At that he fell back and stared at her, words apparently having deserted him. She suddenly didn't have anything to say either and she closed her eyes again, wondering at the phenomenon of loving a man who could change his face and personality so drastically and yet remain the same.

"Rose." Her name was barely audible, but it was enough to cause her eyes to fly open.

He looked ages older than he had that morning when he was bounding around the museums and her heart clenched. Lifting her hand, she grabbed the only thing she could reach - his tie - and dragged him towards her until he was close enough that she could wrap her arms around him. He came alive then, clutching her to his chest, and murmuring her name repeatedly.

At length she realized he was apologizing and she pushed a bit on his shoulder until she could see his face. "Don't apologize, Doctor. I knew what I was doing. Sort of."

He ignored her. "I knew what they were, but I had no idea what they were planning. If I had, I never would have taken you." His face grew dark. "At least they will never do it again."

"What did you do?" Rose asked, unsure if she really wanted to know the answer.

"Made sure they would never do it again. And you," he turned his gaze back to her face, "you need to not do that again also."

Rose would have rolled her eyes if she had more strength. "Which part? The saving your arse bit? Because I rather thought that went well."

"Went well?" He reared backwards, nearly shouting. "Went well! You almost died! I almost lost you!"

"That's kind of what we do, Doctor," Rose said quietly. "And I don't mean to stop now."

"What's what we do?" He gave her a bewildered look.

"You know, make sacrifices for each other." She flushed, suddenly embarrassed. "I mean, that's what we've always done."

He stared in the vicinity of her shoulder pointedly and she couldn't figure out what he was looking at until she remembered the blue leather jacket. "The TARDIS gave this to me to remember you by. I know you're still you and this jacket has a part of both of you. The leather for him-you and the blue for you-you." She looked at him imploringly, begging him to figure out what she didn't have the words to admit.

"Oh, well, yes. I see. Okay." The Doctor stuttered slightly and his hand went to the back of his neck, a new gesture she already found endearing. "Well, you must be hungry and tired. I boosted your protein levels, but I've got tea here. Excellent infusion of free-radicals and tannins, you know." He turned away, still vaguely muttering under his breath.

"Doctor," Rose reached out and caught his sleeve.

"Yeah?" He swung back around and looked at her, his expression warm and open.

"I'm glad you're okay."

"I'm glad you're okay. Still better with two?" He was smiling, but there was the slightest trace of insecurity in the edges.

"Always."


End file.
